Pencil-sharpener.



J. L. ALKIRE.

PENCIL SHARPENER. QPPLIOATION FILED Mmm, 1813.

l, l 1 9,788. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

WUNESSES; v1/EN TOR.

g# Z I J L. //r/re.

RNEY.

.IGI-IN L. ALKIRE, Dl DENVER, COLORADO.

PIENCILSHARIPENER.

narrates.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Application tiled April 2, 1913. Serial No. 762.880.

To zZZ @ahem it may concern i Be it known that I, JOHN L. Annina, a

citizen ot' the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and btate of Colorado, have invented certain new and uset'ul Improvements in Pencil-Sharpeners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pencil Sharpeners and more particularly to Sharpeners ol:l the type illustrated in my United States Letters- Patent No. 1,051,658, issued January 28, i913.

The objects of thc present invention'reside in the provision o'l several improvements whichmany experiments have demonstrated `to be ot value in an article of this cha acter and principal among which are a simplification ot" the construction ot the cutting member and of the method of securing the same to the sheath into which in practice, the pencil is inserted, the provision ol" a spring clip for securing the sheath. together with a pencil inserted therein to the pocket ot a garment, a modification ot the construction of the resilient means provided `tor pressing a pencil against .the cutting edge of the chisel oi the article and 'f0.1' holding the latter in .its adjusted position on a pencil, and a contraction ot' the ends o the sheath whereby a pencil may be moved longitudinally through the same without coming in contact with the cutting edge of the Ghisel.

A Sharpener in which the above enumerated improvements are embodied has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the various views ot' which like parts are similarly designated, and in which.,

Figure l represents a plan view of the improved Sharpener, Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same with a pencil in the position in which it is held while being pointed, Fig. 3, a longitudinal section through the sharpener in the position it occupies on a pencil when not in use, Fig.` 4, a side elevation of the article showing a modied form of constructionot the spring clip and springs included therein, and Fig. 5, a transverse section taken along the line 5-5, Fig. L1.

My improved pencil Sharpener is like that shown in the above mentioned patent, composed of two coi'iperative members one of which consists ot a sheath made of brass or other suitable metal, into which in practice, the pencil is inserted, while the other comprises a chisel of hardened steel which `is removably attached to the sheath to point a pencil drawn across the cutting edge formed at an end thereof. The sheath which in the drawing is designated by the numeral 2, is of cylindrical form and open at its ends. It has a longitudinal slot 3 the edges of which are formed and bent to provide three pairs of oppositely disposed lips which coperatively secure the chisel in its proper position with relation to the sheath, and a mouth r`l into which the end ot' the pencil is in serted while it is heilig pointed by drawing it across the cutting edge ol the said chisel. One of the pair o'l lips 5 is disposed at an extremity ot the sheath, another pair 6, is formed adjacent the mouth 4f and obliquely with relation to the longitudinal axis of the sheath tor the purpose ot' holding the cutting edge ot the chisel in the proper position to perlorin its function, while the third pair ot' lips 7, is disposed intermediate of the others in a plane nearer the axis of the sheath to provide a support for the cutting member placed beneath the outer pairs.

The sheath Q is provided opposite to its slot 3 with a longitudinal slot 8 of shorter length through which projects a spring 9 made ot a separate piece of tempered steel which at one ot' its ends is secured to the sheath by solder or other suitable means as at 10. lhc sheath is furthermore provided at its end remote from that at which the spring 9 is fastened, with an integral, resilient clip 12 the end of which bears against the vl'rce extremity ot the spring 9. The two resilient members 12 and t) ot the device cooperate to press a pencil against the cutting edge ot' thechisel during the process of pointing the same, as shown in Fig. Q, or to clamp the sheath in its adJusted position on the pen- -cil when the Sharpener is not in use, as is illustrated in Fig. 3. .W hen the sheath is inthe last mentioned positionon the pencil, the clip 12 provides an efficient means for securing both the sharpenerfand the pencil to the pocketof a garment in which the latter is carried.

The cutting member oi the Sharpener consists of a transverselycurved chisel 13 of hardened steel which normally is placed underneath the outer pairs of lips 5 and G and upon the intermediate pair 7, with the out ting edge 14: formed at one of lts ends, extending into the mouth 4. The end of the chisel opposite to itscutting edge is curved preferably in the manner shown at 15 in`V Figs. l, 2 and 3 to provide a rest for the at which the cutting member is disposed,

contracted as shown atv 17, to snugly fit a pencil inserted therein, and the combined stop and thumb-rest-l at the outer end of the chisel is bent so that the distance between it and. the thereto opposite end edge of the sheath is substantially equal to the diameter of the contracted portion 17. The object ofthis arrangement is to prevent the cutting edge of the chisel from coming in contact with the surface ofthe pencil when the latter is moved lengthwise through the sheath as is shown in Fig. 8. The portion ofthe end edge ot the sheath opposite to the outer end ot' the cutting member is preferably hollowed. as shown at 18 to provide a seat yacross which the pencil is moved while it is beingl sharpened.

In the form shown in Figs. l1 and 5 the longitudinally extending spring 9 is omitted and two oppositely disposed inwardl projecting springs 19 are formed integra with the sheath by incising the metal ot' which it is composed along semi-circular lines. The

springs 19, performthe same function as the springs 9 and 12, illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, by engaging a pencil inserted into the sheath at opposite sides as is best shown l in Fig. 5.

To point apencil by means of my improved sharpener it is placed in Contact with the seat 18 with its end extending into the mouth'4l in engagement with the cutting edge of .the chisel 13. `Whilethe sheath is held in one hand of the operator the thumb ofthe other hand which holds the pencil,

i engages the rest 15 formed at the outer end of the cutting member and the pencil is in this position, in which it is vmaintained by pressure of the hand as Well as by that of the springs 9 and 12, drawn longitudinally across the cutting edge of the 'chisel which thus removes, thewood of which it is comi posedt belingunderstood that at the termination uof each outward longitudinal movement nof the pencil, 'it is partially rotated tobringv another portion' in., contact with thesaid edge. rllhe ixed relation loetweenthe cutting edge of the chisel'and the pencil seat at the end of the sheath determines the fixed angle at which the pencil is` invariably cut and which prevents breali age ofthe graphite, the springs while aiding in maintaining the pencil in engagen'ient with the cutting edge while it is being pointed, also serve to clamp the sheath onto the pencil when not in use, and the formation of the ends of the article to snugly tit the pencil prevents the latter from coming in contact with the cutting edge when drawn longitudinally through the sheath.

r1`he clips 12 or 16 provide a convenient medium 'or securing both the Sharpener and the pencil to the pocket of a garment in which the latter is carried and it v'Jill be 7": understood that by placing the sheath around the pointed end of the pencil, the article may be employed to protect the point thereof against breakage when not in use.

Having thus described my invention what 8o I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is: A

1. In a pencil-Sharpener, a sheath-meinber having a mouth adapted to receive end of a pencil, and a cutting-member connected With said sheath and havin@ at one of its ends a 'cutting-edge within said mouth,

'and at its-opposite end, an enlarged portion vsheath memberJ having two pairs oi opposed lips and an intermediate Support, and a cutting member placed upon said support and underneath said lips and having at one of its ends, a cutting edge, and at its opposite end, an enlarged portion which engages end of the sheath to provide a combinedstop and thumb-rest. j

3. In a pencil Sharpener, a sheath member having a mouth adapted to receive the end of a pencil inserted into an end of the mein ber, and a cutting member connected with said sheath-incniber at its said end, and having a cutting edge adjacent said month, the opposite end of the sheath-member being contracted to lit apencil around which it is placed. l i

In testimony whereof' have atlixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

i JQHN L. ALKRE.

' 'l/Vitnessess (il. il. Roundups, L. Rnoanne. 

